The present invention provides a method for producing layered aluminum fine particles, and applications to single electron tunneling quantum devices, and the present invention further relates to a method for producing spherical metallic aluminum fine particles (layered aluminum fine particles), characterized in that metallic aluminum is supplied into a mixed gas of helium and 1.times.10.sup.-7 to 3.times.10.sup.-7 torr water vapor by sputtering induced by argon gas discharge to generate aggregates, after which this product is released into a vacuum to generate single crystals in which the surface layer is covered with alumina.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. Spherical metallic fine particles with diameters of 5 to 500 nm of single crystal aluminum having a surface layer of alumina obtained by a method which comprises: (a) generating aluminum from an aluminum target by argon gas discharge-induced sputtering; (b) introducing said aluminum into a mixed gas of water vapor at a pressure of 1.times.10.sup.-7 to 3.times.10.sup.-7 torr, and helium to generate aluminum particles aggregated; and (c) introducing the particles into a vacuum to generate the single crystal aluminum having a surface layer of alumina.
2. Spherical metallic fine particles with diameters of 5 to 500 nm of single crystal aluminum having a surface layer of alumina deposited onto a substrate, obtained by a method which comprises introducing the particles obtained by the method of claim 1 into a vacuum via an aperture by a flow of helium gas to deposit the particles directly onto the substrate.
3. The spherical metallic fine particles of single crystal aluminum having a surface layer of alumina and having a particle diameter of 5 to 500 nm deposited onto the substrate of claim 2, wherein either a vicinity of the aperture is cooled with liquid nitrogen, or a distance between the aluminum target and the aperture is set at a distance from 30 to 50 nm.
4. A single electron tunneling quantum device element containing the spherical metallic fine particles of single crystal aluminum having a surface layer of alumina and having a particle diameter of 5 to 500 nm obtained by the method of claim 1 and a metal being in contact with the surface of the fine particles.
5. A single electron tunneling quantum device element containing the spherical metallic fine particles of single crystal aluminum having a surface layer of alumina and having a particle diameter of 5 to 500 nm deposited onto a substrate obtained by the method of claim 2 and a metal being in contact with the surface of the fine particles.
6. A single electron tunneling quantum device element containing the spherical metallic fine particles of single crystal aluminum having a surface layer of alumina and having a particle diameter of 5 to 500 nm deposited onto a substrate obtained by the method of claim 3 and a metal being in contact with the surface of the fine particles.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
March 13, 2000
December 25, 2001
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